[Peter Debelak]

I was working on a compilation and analysis of several mentions of "church" thorought Acts and the Epistles, but realized that perhaps its too much to chew at once. Instead, for now, I'll take a look at a dichotomy Watchman Nee drew, based on his understanding of the "universal Body" versus the "local assemblies." Here is Nee's distinction between "gifts to the whole church" versus "gifts to the local church." From Assembly Life (beginning on page 47):

“Every believer has at least one talent. There is no slave who does not have any gift. First Corinthians 12 says that to one is given one kind of gift and to another is given another kind of gift. Therefore, everyone has a gift. Every regenerated person has a gift. But not everyone has the same kind of gift. According to Ephesians 4, there are only five kinds of gifts that build up the whole church. But as to the gifts that are for the growth of the local church, we have those mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12. Not every believer has the gifts of Ephesians 4, but they may have one of the gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12.”

…

“Ephesians 4 refers to people, while 1 Corinthians 12 referes to things. Ephesians 4 says God gives some apostles, prophets, evangelishts, and shepherds and teachers; these are five kinds of people. First Corinthians 12 says that God gives some the ability to prophesy or speak in tongues. Paul was a gift given by God to the church; he was an apostle. But Paul also had other gifts, such as prophesying, speaking in tongues and healing.

To my observation, Brother Chi Yung-tung looks very much like a pastor. Let me take him as an example. God has given a gift to the church in Soo-chia-tsui, which is Chi Yung-tung. The whole church in Soo-chia-tsui should then receive brother Chi as a gift given to them by God. At the same time, Brother Chi has the pastoral gift. His gift is the gift of a pastor. If anyone asks what gift Paul had, we would answer that he had the gift of an apostle. But if anyone asks what gift God has given to the church, we would answer, “The apostle Paul.” All five kinds of people in Ephesians 4 are gifts given by God to the church and they are for the whole church. First Corinthians 12 mentions the various gifts that God gives to individual believers; the gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 are for the local churches. Paul was a gift given by God to the church for the purpose of building up the whole church. Therefore, the gift which was released through Paul has benefited men of all times and places; his work did not pass away; it remains even until today.”

I glean that Nee is saying, the people, who are gifts given by God, in Ephesians 4 are gifts to the whole Body of Christ – while the “things” (such as prophesy) are gifts given by God to individuals for the local assembly. Is this right?

I just don’t see that dichotomy (between the “whole church” versus the “local church” in these passages). In 1 Corinthians 12, it says

“But the one and the same Spirit operates in all these things [the gifts mentioned], distributing to each one individual as He purposes. For even as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the body being many are one body, so also is the Christ.” (vv. 11-12).

From this, it seems that the gifts given to each member are for the whole body.

Similarly, in Ephesians 4, it is not obvious that only a select few are given as “apostles, prophets, evangelists, sheherds or teachers” to the whole church. In face, verse 7 says

“But to each one of us was given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”

Sure, it could be said that the gifts in verse 11 are different and a specific subset whose specific purpose is “for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of ministry, unto the building up of the Body of Christ” – but later in the chapter Paul says that “Out from whom all the Body, fitted and knit together through every joint of the supply, according to the operation in measureof each one part, causes the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love.” As such, each one part does the work of “building up the Body” and thus “each one part” is parallel to to the work of the gifted ones in verse 11 whose work is “unto the building up of the Body of Christ.”

What do you all think? First, does Nee's distinction hold up? Second, even if it doesn't - are these gifts for the "whole Body of Christ"? If so, is that the same as being for the "whole church universal"? If not, why not? I have a hard time reading the "Body" references here as being purely local. That doesn't mean individual members must concern themselves with anything more than "the Body" as expressed in their local assemby, but the verses still seem to refer to a larger entity, no?

Peter

P.S. YP, I anticipate that you will say, yes - there is a difference between saying "universal Body" versus "universal church." You made this point in your first post. However, I guess I don't see the distinction. Is it because "church" is something that is "built" and thus to think we must "build" the "universal church" causes us to focus on something God never intended -whereas the "Body" is organic and therefore, if you "grow" the local assembly, the "universal Body" is necessarily increased? If so, I get the distinction. But I just wonder if its a distinction without a difference. Cf. Ephesians 2:19-22 where it seems Paul is discussion the universal entity which is "build" - including "God's household," a "holy temple," and a "dwelling". Though I do note that "to build" in these passages is always passive... (sorry, too many thoughts jammed into a small space - I'll unpack it later...).